


Paper Faces

by Ravenclaw_Peredhel



Series: If I Should Fall [9]
Category: TOLKIEN J. R. R. - Works & Related Fandoms, The Hobbit - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings - J. R. R. Tolkien, The Silmarillion and other histories of Middle-Earth - J. R. R. Tolkien
Genre: A few (1) flashbacks, A series that will probably be overwhelmed by Elwing Bashing, A whole lot of shit also happens, Definitely going to have a sequel, Elwing bashing, Elwing is a very bad parent, F/M, Finarfin is just enjoying watching shit happen, For a shiny jewel, Gen, Gil-galad Son of Plothole, He's alright now, Insane Maedhros, Maedhros is a good parent, Mention of Character Death, Mention of Insanity, Mention of a whole lot of shit, Merenel is a good parent, She just abandoned her kids, This is what happens when you start ranting with Fantasticoncer about Elwing, for a while, kinda short, ngl, this is a tag now, yeah no
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-24
Updated: 2020-11-24
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:01:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27635818
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ravenclaw_Peredhel/pseuds/Ravenclaw_Peredhel
Summary: "The Royal House of Finwë cordially invites you to join us in the palace in Tirion for a welcome banquet and ball to celebrate the downfall of Gorthaur and the return of the last members of our dearly beloved Royal House."Considering the people that this invitation went to, it isn't really surprising how badly it went to the dogs. Almost literally in some cases.
Relationships: Celebrían/Elrond Peredhel, Elrond Peredhel & Elwing, Elrond Peredhel & Maedhros | Maitimo
Series: If I Should Fall [9]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2023415
Comments: 36
Kudos: 38





	Paper Faces

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [The Prince of the Noldor](https://archiveofourown.org/works/22721731) by [SpaceWall](https://archiveofourown.org/users/SpaceWall/pseuds/SpaceWall). 



> Also inspired by The Prince of the Noldor by SpaceWall (just the bit with Elwing and Elrond)  
> The title comes from the masquerade song in the phantom of the opera. I have never actually seen it, but my friend has and she sings this song a lot.  
> Warning: some flashbacks, mention of serious PTSD

Elrond felt slightly overwhelmed. He had only just reached the Blessed Realm (this morning to be precise) and the amount of damn people with foresight meant that a ball had been planned for precisely seven hours after his arrival. Apparently, Finwë enjoyed throwing parties and utilised every opportunity to throw one. Celebrian held tighter to his hand and he gripped hers firmly, determined not to let go of his silver queen again. 

"Of course, Lady Elwing has been most eager to meet you." High Prince Finarfin grimaced slightly. Elrond had no menories of his mother, but from what he had gathered she had been rather immature and irresponsible, considering her two little sons something of a nuisance, a concept practically anathema to most of the eldar. Evidently, word of her attitude to himself and Elros had gotten out. Finarfin suddenly looked over his shoulder, and his face broke out into a blinding grin. "Look behind you." Warily, Elrond turned his head over his shoulder, before staring as though his eyes would pop out. His mouth worked for a moment, before managing a few strangled words.

"Is that..."

"High Prince Maedhros and High Princess Merenel? Yes." Celebrian's words were equally soft, and she started to walk towards the pair, pulling her flabbergasted husband along behind her. 

Elrond could barely believe his eyes. The last time that he saw his foster parents, Maedhros had been insane, throwing himself into a pit of lava with a mad laugh echoing behind him. Merenel had never recovered from that, and when Elrond had forced her onto the ship scarcely a century ago, he had been able to see right through her. Now, there was barely a sign of the insane ellon and the fading elleth he had mourned. The pair were laughing as they walked arm in arm with each other, practically glowing with health and power. Maedhros' hair was long and thick, rather than the coarse strands that had barely reached his shoulders that Elrond was accustomed to. His eyes glowed with health and vitality, and he was walking with ease, his shoulders even and his skin unmarred. He wore deep, rich red robes, the colour of the House of Fëanor, beautifully-made and his laugh was loud and rich and deep. 

Beside him walked Merenel, her silvery-white-gold hair flowing down her back, held in place by a few braids at the sides, the tresses braided with silver and was that mithril? Elrond wasn't sure. She was solid again, still ethereal and delicate, but there and real not halfway to Mandos. Her dress was made in the Telerin style, low-cut, figure-hugging and with a slight train at the back, but the red colour and the little jewelled embellishements at the hem and the sleeves holding the delicate fluttery material down made it quite obviously of Noldorin make. 

The pair saw him and stood stock still in shock. ''Elrond?" Maedhros's voice was scarcely more than a whisper. Elrond could only stare at his parents. 

"Atto? Amil?" They nodded, tears in their eyes and held out out their arms. Elrond did not hesitate. Releasing Celebrian's hand, he dove into his foster parents embrace. ''I missed you so much.'' He whispered, trying to stop the tears. How long had it been since they had held him like this? Before the War of Wrath certainly. Maedhros had gone totally insane a few years after Elrond and Elros had turned 50, and they had had to be sent away. 

"We missed you too little one. More than words can say." His father's soft voice was sad, and Elrond winced slightly remembering the last time that Maedhros had seen them before he went completely insane. It had not been a pleasant memory.

_"Merenel, get the children and go! Now!" Maedhros was hunched over and with a srrange, fell light in his eyes. "Next time it might not be you or Erestor or Maglor. Next time it might be the twins or a child. You need to take them away!"_

_"I can't leave you. Not like this." Merenel was openly crying, not caring who saw them standing in the middle of the corridor in their nightclothes. "Not now. You've fought all these years Maedhros, what changed now?" Her face was anguished, and from what the two little boys could see, so was Maedhros'_

_''What changed? What changed Merenel is I nearly hurt you! I woke up, and I thought I was in Angband and I lashed out! I should never have been able to do that, I should have realised where I was and who you were, but I couldn't stop myself! You're lucky you weren't hurt this time, but next time? The time after? What if it's someone who can't or won't defend themselves? I'm losing my mind Merenel. You know that. You've been holding it together for the last 500 years, but with all that happened recently you're stretched too thin."_

_"I don't care! Maedhros...I'm fine, you didn't hurt me. You stopped yourself!"_

_"But what if I can't next time? What if next time I can't snap myself out of it? What then?"_

_The argument raged on for hours, until Maedhros finally won. Merenel helped the twins to pack and then checked Gil-galad and Celebrimbor's packing with an emotionless face, but wih her eyes so full of pain that it actually hurt Elrond to look at her. Maedhros strode around the fortress, ordering everyone to leave. Another argument broke out when Maglor refused point blank to leave. He said that if Merenel, Gil-galad and eveyone else had to leave, he had power and skill enough to evade harm and he would stay with his brother._

_It was time to go, and almost everyone had bidden farewell to Maedhros and Maglor. "I love you my children. So much. I love you more than anything." He held Gil-galad, Elrond and Elros close, his shoulders shaking and his voice strained. "Be strong. Be brave. Listen to your mother and don't get yourselves killed."_

_"Why do we have to go away Ada? Don't you want us any more?" Elros' blunt enquiry rang through the stone courtyard, echoinflg and re-echoing plaintively._

_"No...I love you my children, all of you. But I'm not well. My mind is sick, and I am scared..."_

_"Of what Ada?"_

_"Scared I will hurt you." He drew back from the children, and looked them over. Gil-galad stood tall and strong, black hair tied back in a plain braid and blue eyes hard. Elrond and Elros clung to first him, and when he moved away, Merenel, black hair and grey eyes looking at him from one (Elrond), and silver hair and blue eyes from the other (Elros). He tried to ignore the pain in his heart as he turned to his wife but Elrond could feel it and knew that he could too. ''Merenel..." What could he say? They had been married for a nearly a thousand years, and whenever they parted it had brought them loss. She wasn't weeping, but tears trailed down her cheeks."I-"_

_''Don't." Her voice was hard. ''Don't make it harder than it has to be Maedhros." He bowed his head._

_''As you will."_

_"That's exactly what I meant." She said, her voice trembling. There was a slight pause before she flung herself at him, weeping and kissed him full upon the mouth for a long moment. Then she pulled away and bade farewell formally and emotionlessly to all who remained in Amon Ereb and led out those who were makng for the Noldorin court. She didn't look back, but Elrond rode before her and tears dropped onto his lap that were not his own._

Merenel had never been the same since that day. It was not as sudden and terrible as her change after Maedhros' death, but she was quieter and sadder and paler. When she thought none of the children were around, she could often be heard weeping. 

Forcing himself away from the unpleasant memories, Elrond concentrated on the fact that he had his wife and his parents back. And his siblings he supposed, though Elros was missing and he couldn't see them from where he was. "I missed you too" Then he pulled back. "Atto, Amil, may I introduce my wife, the Lady Celebrian." Celebrian came forward shyly, her hand resting in his and curtseyed. 

"High Prince Maedhros, High Princess Merenel."

"Oh, don't be like that Celebrian. We lived in the same house for well over a thousand years.'' Merenel drew her into the hug, and Elrond was privately quite certain that he had not been so happy since Estel had come to Rivendell. He closed his eyes and enjoyed simply being with both of his parents for the first time in several thousand years. 

Unfortunately, the illusion that there was only the four of them could not last. It was broken by a strident voice. "Get away from my son Kinslayers!" A hand grabbed him and started dragging him away, an unfamiliar hand. He batted it away, automatically going into a defensive crouch with Celebrian behind him, taking stock of the situation. A strange elleth with black hair and grey eyes stood before him, wearing a rather over elaborate necklace that seemed to be missing a piece. 

"Who are you? What do you want with me?" His voice was almost a snarl, an automatic reaction after so long fighting for his life in middle earth. The strange elleth blinked, her eyes wide. 

"Quildo, it is me, your mother." Her eyes filled with tears and she tried to embrace him. Her scent was strange, sweet like the roses that grew in the palace gardens of Tirion, wild like the sea and with a strange ozone smell he associated with the Maiar. It was not the scent that he associated with his mother. Elrond's mother smelled of sunny summer days, the blazing forge of Amon Ereb where he had first learned the craft, the wild alpine flowers of their home and the sweet honey cakes of his childhood. The embrace felt wrong and he gently pushed the elleth away. 

"Forgive my rudeness my lady but I do not know your name."

''My little Quildo...I am your mother. Do you not remember me?"

"I am afraid not my lady. Celebrian?"

A soft hand slipped into his as it's owner responded to his query. "Elrond meldo, this is Lady Elwing Dioriel. Lady Elwing, this is my husband Elro-"

"His name is Quildo! The name his parents gave him, not some kidnapping debased murderers! Address my son correctly as his station befits, not as though he is the child of two debased Kinslayers, who invented the worst crime in Arda!" Elwing's angry words rang through the suddenly quiet ball room. Oddly enough, the numerous Kinslayers in the room did not enjoy memories of what was as often a mercy as a crime. When an elf was injured badly enough on the battlefield, death was preferable to leaving them for Morgoth's creatures. Elrond could feel himself going white with rage. 

"I am no son of yours. My parents are the ones who raised me, loved me and cherished me, and you fall into none of those categories."

"Oh and I suppose the kidnapping Kinslayers do. Enough of this farce Quildo, I am your mother and you will obey me."

"That is precisely what I mean Lady Elwing. My parents are Maedhros Feanorion and Merenel Olwiel, and any claiming otherwise is wrong. Good evening." And he turned back to his parents leaving an astonished and outraged Elwing gaping at him. 

He did not need her, or any other 'true family'. He had all he needed with the House of Fëanor and his wife's family.

**Author's Note:**

> The Noldor had too many High Kings, so anyone who was High King or Queen just puts High in front of their present title.
> 
> Bruion - Noisy  
> Quildo - Quiet  
> Elrond and Elros's birth names. Insightful no?


End file.
